1. Field of the Invention
This invention is generally directed to riding scooters and more specifically to electrically powered riding scooters which include primary components which may be readily assembled and disassembled without the use of tools and which components are of a size and weight that permit the components to be easily handled by an individual of modest physical strength. The scooters of the present invention are particularly designed to permit the scooter to be collapsed for ease of portability of the scooter from one location to another with the primary components interengaging with one another to form a unified and safe structure but with such components being disassembled utilizing minimum physical effort.
Although the embodiment of scooter disclosed in the specification reflects a three wheeled invalid cart or scooter, the teachings of the present invention would apply to other electrically powered vehicles such as golf carts and light weight surface vehicles such as utilized in the warehousing industry. Also, although a three wheel cart is disclosed, a four wheel cart could also be developed utilizing the teachings of the present invention.
The invention is also directed to providing specialized forward and reverse controls which may be utilized with electrically powered scooters and which permit a full range of control utilizing minimal effort on the part of the individual utilizing the scooter.
The invention is also concerned with providing a quick connect and disconnect locking collar for enabling portions of the scooter to be retained in an assembled position and yet released for disassembly by a simple twist and pull motion applied to the locking collar.
The invention is also direction to providing a unique electrical system for electrically powered scooters which not only enables primary components of the scooter to be automatically electrically engaged upon assembly of the components but further permits the battery source of electrical power to be automatically engaged with the electrical system by utilizing a special battery casing which is designed to promote an automatic electrical connection with the electrical system upon placement of the casing within a housing provided on the scooter.
The invention is also directed to providing special seat mounting arrangements for electrical scooters wherein a selective vertical adjustment of a primary seat post may be achieved and retained without having to alter the adjustment to affect a disconnection of the seat support post with respect to the supporting frame of the scooter.
2. History of the Related Art
There have been many forms of vehicles developed for facilitating the movement of invalids or individuals who have trouble walking perhaps due to a physical injury, the individuals age, or limitations enforced upon the individual due to health related conditions. The most common example of invalid transport vehicle is the wheelchair. Numerous innovations have been made in the wheelchair more comfortable to the only to make the use of wheelchairs more comfortable to the individual but to provide increased operational efficiency, maneuverability and collapsibility.
The most basic type of wheelchairs were structures that were designed to be rigidly constructed with little concern being given to enabling the wheelchair to be transported from one area to another in a convenient manner. Advancements in technology and design have resulted in collapsible wheelchairs which may be folded compactly for storage in a persons' trunk so that a wheelchair may be transported from one site to another.
Unfortunately, conventional wheelchairs are not suitable for use by many individuals who because of age or disability cannot provide the necessary strength to maneuver the chairs from one point to another thereby necessitating that assistance be provided to wheel the individual from one point to another.
To overcome the foregoing disadvantages with conventional wheelchairs, a great deal of effort has been directed toward developing self powered invalid carts or vehicles which can be operated through the use of easily accessible manual controls. Such motorized carts have enabled individuals having a disability which requires their use of a cart to have the freedom of individual movement without having outside assistance.
The earlier motorized wheelchairs took the form of conventional wheelchairs, however, were adapted by providing a battery powered motor having a drive engagement to the primary wheels of the wheelchair. Appropriate steering controls were provided usually along one of the arms of the wheelchair with the drive linkage being directly connected to either the front wheels of the wheelchair or to one or more separately provided steering wheels. Due to the drive engagement between the motors and the primary wheels of the earlier type of motorized wheelchairs, there was no provision made for collapsing the wheelchairs to facilitate their transport from one area to another. This resulted in oftentimes necessitating that an individual have one motorized wheelchair provided at their place of business or other area and another motorized wheelchair provided at their home. When it became necessary to travel to an area where no wheelchair was available, there was a great amount of work entailed to disassemble the wheelchair so that is could be transported to such area for use by the individual requiring the chair.
Over the years, the overall structural features of electrically powered motorized carts have evolved away from the style of the conventional wheelchair with many of the carts in use today resembling three wheeled scooters very similar in appearance to miniaturized golf carts. Many of the newer cart like designs are more particularly suitable for those whose disability has not affected their ability to use their hands to control the speed and direction of the vehicle by operating a steering mechanism and speed controls. The carts are designed to permit their use in substantially any building environment so that the carts may easily pass through existing doorways, around counters and tables and the like. Additionally, and especially in light of the more powerful battery sources which are becoming available, the newer type of invalid scooters also permit long range outdoor travel as well as travel within the home, business or related environments sot hat the disabled individual is given an increased freedom of mobility.
As with the original motorized wheelchairs, the original scooter type invalid chairs had a substantial drawback in that the units could not be easily transported from one area to another without requiring a great deal of effort to disassemble the units which would require expertise not readily available to the average person or to someone who might utilize the scooter. In order to come this deficiency, there have been a number of technological innovations made in an effort to develop electrically powered scooters that will be collapsible so as to facilitate their storage and/or shipment from one area to another. Unfortunately, many of the proposed structures for disassemblable invalid or similar types of carts require that the disassembly be made utilizing various locking bolts and other fasteners which require the use of separate tools. Such assemblies not only require that the tolls be available but that the individual disassembling or assembling the cart exhibit sufficient manual dexterity to accomplish the assembly or disassembly procedure. This, of course, is not always possible especially if the person utilizing the cart suffers from various physical disabilities.
Another problem inherent with disassemblable invalid and similar type carts is that the components which are to be assembled or disassembled are often of such a size or weight that they may not be easily manipulated by a person having limited physical strength. Further, the components themselves may be of such a size as to not facilitate compact storage of the components for shipment of the cart from one area to another.
A further drawback with battery powered electrical carts is that the electrical connections themselves often require a great deal of manipulation which not only requires additional effort in assembling or disassembling a given cart but also necessitates that the individual assembling or connecting the electrical system has sufficient knowledge to properly connect the battery to the electrical system after it has been disconnected.
Some examples of prior art disassemblable or knock down type invalid scooters and related carts having battery powered motor systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,919,758 to Newton, et al., 3,249,171 to Kinghorn, 3,369,629 to Weiss, 3,580,349 to Brennan, et al., 4,037,678 to Braune, 4,452,327 to Mowat, et al., 4,570,739 to Kramer and 4,750,578 to Brandenfels. Some additional examples of prior art battery powered motorized carts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,042,055 to Ward and 4,776,416 to Morse.